History of Today in India – 23 February

Explore the history of today 23 February in India, including important events, famous personalities, and milestones for UPSC SSC,Banking & PSC exams.

Last updated on 23 February 2026, 04:21 AM

📜 Important Events on 23 February in World History

23 Feb 2025: A snap election is held in Germany. Read more
23 Feb 2021: Four simultaneous prison riots leave at least 62 people dead in Ecuador. Read more
23 Feb 2020: Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old African-American citizen, is shot and murdered by three white men after visiting a house under construction while jogging at a neighborhood in Satilla Shores near Brunswick in Glynn County, Georgia. Read more
23 Feb 2019: Atlas Air Flight 3591, a Boeing 767 freighter, crashes into Trinity Bay near Anahuac, Texas, killing all three people on board. Read more
23 Feb 2018: Parliamentary elections are held in Djibouti. Read more
23 Feb 2017: The Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army captures Al-Bab from ISIL. Read more
23 Feb 2012: A series of attacks across Iraq leave at least 83 killed and more than 250 injured. Read more
23 Feb 2010: Unknown criminals pour more than 2+1⁄2 million liters of diesel oil and other hydrocarbons into the river Lambro, in northern Italy, sparking an environmental disaster. Read more
23 Feb 2008: A United States Air Force B-2 Spirit bomber crashes on Guam, marking the first operational loss of a B-2. Read more
23 Feb 2008: The Japanese WINDS satellite is launched. Read more
23 Feb 2007: A train derails on an evening express service near Grayrigg, Cumbria, England, killing one person and injuring 88. This results in hundreds of points being checked over the UK after a few similar accidents. Read more
23 Feb 2002: An Ariane 4 rocket is launched from the Guiana Space Centre carrying Intelsat 904. Read more
23 Feb 1999: Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Öcalan is charged with treason in Ankara, Turkey. Read more
23 Feb 1999: An avalanche buries the town of Galtür, Austria, killing 31. Read more
23 Feb 1998: In the United States, tornadoes in central Florida destroy or damage 2,600 structures and kill 42 people. Read more
23 Feb 1991: In Thailand, General Sunthorn Kongsompong leads a bloodless coup d'état, deposing Prime Minister Chatichai Choonhavan. Read more
23 Feb 1988: Saddam Hussein begins the Anfal genocide against Kurds and Assyrians in northern Iraq. Read more
23 Feb 1987: Supernova 1987a is seen in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Read more
23 Feb 1983: The United States Environmental Protection Agency announces its intent to buy out and evacuate the dioxin-contaminated community of Times Beach, Missouri. Read more
23 Feb 1981: In Spain, Antonio Tejero attempts a coup d'état by capturing the Spanish Congress of Deputies. Read more
23 Feb 1980: Iran hostage crisis: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini states that Iran's parliament will decide the fate of the American embassy hostages. Read more
23 Feb 1974: The Symbionese Liberation Army demands $4 million more to release kidnap victim Patty Hearst. Read more
23 Feb 1971: Operation Lam Son 719: South Vietnamese General Do Cao Tri was killed in a helicopter crash en route to taking control of the faltering campaign. Read more
23 Feb 1966: In Syria, Ba'ath Party member Salah Jadid leads an intra-party military coup that replaces the previous government of General Amin al-Hafiz, also a Baathist. Read more
23 Feb 1958: Five-time Argentine Formula One champion Juan Manuel Fangio is kidnapped by rebels involved in the Cuban Revolution, on the eve of the Cuban Grand Prix. He was released the following day after the race. Read more
23 Feb 1954: The first mass inoculation of children against polio with the Salk vaccine begins in Pittsburgh. Read more
23 Feb 1950: General elections are held in the United Kingdom. Read more
23 Feb 1947: International Organization for Standardization is founded. Read more
23 Feb 1945: World War II: During the Battle of Iwo Jima, a group of United States Marines reach the top of Mount Suribachi on the island and are photographed raising the American flag. Read more
23 Feb 1945: World War II: The 11th Airborne Division, with Filipino guerrillas, free all 2,147 captives of the Los Baños internment camp, in what General Colin Powell later would refer to as "the textbook airborne operation for all ages and all armies." Read more
23 Feb 1945: World War II: The capital of the Philippines, Manila, is liberated by combined Filipino and American forces. Read more
23 Feb 1945: World War II: Capitulation of German garrison in Poznań. The city is liberated by Soviet and Polish forces. Read more
23 Feb 1945: World War II: The German town of Pforzheim is annihilated in a raid by 379 British bombers. Read more
23 Feb 1945: American Airlines Flight 009 crashes near Rural Retreat, Virginia, killing 17. Read more
23 Feb 1944: The Soviet Union begins the forced deportation of the Chechen and Ingush people from the North Caucasus to Central Asia. Read more
23 Feb 1943: The Cavan Orphanage fire kills thirty-five girls and an elderly cook. Read more
23 Feb 1943: Greek Resistance: The United Panhellenic Organization of Youth is founded in Greece. Read more
23 Feb 1942: World War II: Japanese submarines fire artillery shells at the coastline near Santa Barbara, California. Read more
23 Feb 1941: Plutonium is first produced and isolated by Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg. Read more
23 Feb 1934: Leopold III becomes King of Belgium. Read more
23 Feb 1927: U.S. President Calvin Coolidge signs a bill by Congress establishing the Federal Radio Commission (later replaced by the Federal Communications Commission) which was to regulate the use of radio frequencies in the United States. Read more
23 Feb 1927: German theoretical physicist Werner Heisenberg writes a letter to fellow physicist Wolfgang Pauli, in which he describes his uncertainty principle for the first time. Read more
23 Feb 1917: First demonstrations in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The beginning of the February Revolution (March 8 in the Gregorian calendar). Read more
23 Feb 1909: The AEA Silver Dart makes the first powered flight in Canada and the British Empire. Read more
23 Feb 1905: Chicago attorney Paul Harris and three other businessmen meet for lunch to form the Rotary Club, the world's first service club. Read more
23 Feb 1903: Cuba leases Guantánamo Bay to the United States "in perpetuity". Read more
23 Feb 1900: Second Boer War: During the Battle of the Tugela Heights, the first British attempt to take Hart's Hill fails. Read more
23 Feb 1898: Émile Zola is imprisoned in France after writing J'Accuse…!, a letter accusing the French government of antisemitism and wrongfully imprisoning Captain Alfred Dreyfus. Read more
23 Feb 1887: The French Riviera is hit by a large earthquake, killing around 2,000. Read more
23 Feb 1886: Charles Martin Hall produced the first samples of aluminium from the electrolysis of aluminium oxide, after several years of intensive work. He was assisted in this project by his older sister, Julia Brainerd Hall. Read more
23 Feb 1885: Sino-French War: French Army gains an important victory in the Battle of Đồng Đăng in the Tonkin region of Vietnam. Read more
23 Feb 1883: Alabama becomes the first U.S. state to enact an anti-trust law. Read more
23 Feb 1870: Reconstruction Era: Post-U.S. Civil War military control of Mississippi ends and it is readmitted to the Union. Read more
23 Feb 1861: President-elect Abraham Lincoln arrives secretly in Washington, D.C., after the thwarting of an alleged assassination plot in Baltimore, Maryland. Read more
23 Feb 1854: The official independence of the Orange Free State, South Africa is declared. Read more
23 Feb 1847: Mexican–American War: Battle of Buena Vista: In Mexico, American troops under future president General Zachary Taylor defeat Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna. Read more
23 Feb 1836: Texas Revolution: The Siege of the Alamo (prelude to the Battle of the Alamo) begins in San Antonio, Texas. Read more
23 Feb 1820: Cato Street Conspiracy: A plot to murder all the British cabinet ministers is exposed and the conspirators arrested. Read more

🎂 Important Births on 23 February in World History

23 Feb 2002: Emilia Jones, English actress Emilia Jones is a British actress. She is best known for her lead role as a child of deaf adults in the drama film CODA (2021), for which she received a British Academy Film Award nomination for Best Actress. Jones is also known for starring in the Netflix adventure series Locke & Key (2020–2022) and the HBO crime series Task (2025). Read more
23 Feb 2000: Femke Bol, Dutch hurdler and sprinter Femke Bol is a Dutch track and field athlete who competes in sprinting, middle-distance running, and hurdling. Up to 2025, she specialized in the 400 metres hurdles, where she is the 2023 and 2025 World Champion, and in the 400 metres, where she is the 2024 World Indoor Champion and the short track world record holder. Since 2026, she specializes in the 800 metres. In the 4 × 400 metres relay, she is the 2023 World Champion and the 2024 World Indoor Champion with the Dutch women's team and the 2024 Olympic Champion with the Dutch mixed team. Read more
23 Feb 1997: Jamal Murray, Canadian basketball player Jamal Murray is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played one season of college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. Murray was selected by the Nuggets as the seventh overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft and was a key contributor to the team's first NBA championship run in 2023, becoming the ninth Canadian to win an NBA title. In 2026, Murray was named an NBA All-Star. He also represents Canada in international basketball competitions. Read more
23 Feb 1996: D'Angelo Russell, American basketball player D'Angelo Russell, nicknamed "DLo", is an American professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected as a McDonald's All-American in 2014 and played college basketball for the Ohio State Buckeyes before being selected second overall in the 2015 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. Read more
23 Feb 1995: Andrew Wiggins, Canadian basketball player Andrew Christian Wiggins is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected with the first overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers after one year of college basketball with the Kansas Jayhawks. Read more
23 Feb 1994: Dakota Fanning, American actress Hannah Dakota Fanning is an American actress. Fanning is known for her roles in blockbuster films and independent features, both as a child actor and as an adult. Her accolades include nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Read more
23 Feb 1994: Triptii Dimri, Indian actress Triptii Dimri is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films. She had her first lead role in the romantic drama Laila Majnu (2018) but gained critical recognition for her performances in Anvita Dutt's films Bulbbul (2020) and Qala (2022), with the former earning her a Filmfare OTT Award. Read more
23 Feb 1992: Casemiro, Brazilian footballer Carlos Henrique Casimiro, also known mononymously as Casemiro, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club Manchester United and the Brazil national team. Read more
23 Feb 1992: Kyriakos Papadopoulos, Greek footballer Kyriakos Papadopoulos is a Greek professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for non-league club Svoronos Katerinis. He last played, at a professioanl level, for Greek Super League club Levadiakos. Read more
23 Feb 1992: Samara Weaving, Australian actress and model Samara Weaving is an Australian actress and model. She gained attention for her work in Australian television, appearing on the series Out of the Blue (2008) and receiving an AACTA Award nomination for playing Indi Walker on the soap opera Home and Away (2009–2013). She appeared in a recurring role in the first season of the series Ash vs Evil Dead (2015). Read more
23 Feb 1990: Kevin Connauton, Canadian ice hockey player Kevin Connauton is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Tucson Roadrunners of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Utah Mammoth of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 83rd overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2009 NHL entry draft. Connauton has also played for the Dallas Stars, Columbus Blue Jackets, Arizona Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers, and Philadelphia Flyers. Read more
23 Feb 1990: Marco Scandella, Canadian ice hockey player Marco Scandella is an Italian-Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Minnesota Wild, Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, and St. Louis Blues. Scandella played major junior hockey in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) for the Val d'Or Foreurs prior to being selected by the Wild in the second-round, 55th overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. Read more
23 Feb 1989: Evan Bates, American ice dancer Evan Bates is an American ice dancer. With his wife and skating partner, Madison Chock, he is a 2026 Winter Olympics silver medalist, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the team event, a three-time World champion, three-time Grand Prix Final champion, a three-time Four Continents champion, a twenty-two-time ISU Grand Prix medalist, ten-time ISU Challenger Series medalist, and a seven-time U.S. national champion. The two represented the United States at the 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026 Winter Olympics. He would serve as flag bearer for the United States during the closing ceremony for the 2026 Winter Olympics. Read more
23 Feb 1989: Jérémy Pied, French footballer Jérémy Victor Pied is a French professional footballer who plays as a right-back. Read more
23 Feb 1989: Wilin Rosario, Dominican baseball player Wilin Arismendy Rosario Hernández is a Dominican former professional baseball catcher and first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Colorado Rockies, the KBO League for the Hanwha Eagles, Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hanshin Tigers, and the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) for the Uni-President Lions. Read more
23 Feb 1988: Nicolás Gaitán, Argentine footballer Osvaldo Nicolás Fabián "Nico" Gaitán is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger. Read more
23 Feb 1987: Ab-Soul, American rapper Herbert Anthony Stevens IV, better known by his stage name Ab-Soul, is an American rapper. Raised in Carson, California, he signed with the indie record label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) in 2007, where he formed the West Coast hip-hop group Black Hippy alongside fellow California-based rappers Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar and Schoolboy Q. His third album, These Days… (2014), peaked at number 11 on the Billboard 200. He is Black Hippy's sole member to remain an independent artist. Read more
23 Feb 1987: Malik Hairston, American basketball player Malik Samory Hairston is an American former professional basketball player. A shooting guard-small forward from the University of Oregon's Ducks, he was chosen in the 2008 NBA draft by the Phoenix Suns, who then traded him to the San Antonio Spurs. Hairston has also played with the San Antonio Spurs, the Austin Toros, Montepaschi Siena and Olimpia Milano of the Italian League, and Galatasaray of the Turkish League. He was born in Detroit, Michigan. Read more
23 Feb 1987: Theophilus London, Trinidadian-American singer-songwriter and producer Theophilus Musa London is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. He is best known for his guest appearance alongside Allan Kingdom and Paul McCartney on Kanye West's 2015 single "All Day", which peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and received two Grammy Award nominations. London has also worked on West's demo album Donda 2 (2022), as well as several of his unreleased projects. Read more
23 Feb 1986: Emerson Conceição, Brazilian footballer Emerson da Conceição, known as Emerson, is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a left back. Read more
23 Feb 1986: Skylar Grey, American singer-songwriter Holly Brook Hafermann, known professionally as Skylar Grey, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. In 2004, Grey signed a publishing deal with Universal Music Publishing Group and a recording contract with Linkin Park's Machine Shop Recordings under the name Holly Brook. Her debut studio album, Like Blood Like Honey (2006), served as her only release with the label. Read more
23 Feb 1986: Kazuya Kamenashi, Japanese singer-songwriter and actor Kazuya Kamenashi is a Japanese singer, actor, host, producer and magazine model. Born and raised in Edogawa, Tokyo. He joined the Japanese talent agency, Johnny & Associates at the age of 12. Former member of KAT-TUN under Starto Entertainment. Read more
23 Feb 1986: Jerod Mayo, American football player and coach Jerod Andrew Mayo Sr. is an American former professional football coach and former linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons with the New England Patriots. He served as the head coach of the Patriots in 2024. Mayo played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers, receiving first-team All-SEC honors in 2007, and was selected by the Patriots 10th overall in the 2008 NFL draft. Read more
23 Feb 1986: Ola Svensson, Swedish singer-songwriter Ola Nils Håkan Svensson is a Swedish artist and songwriter, known professionally by the mononym Ola until 2014, and as Brother Leo from 2018 to present. Born in Lund, Skåne, his career began in 2005, when he finished eighth on season two of Swedish Idol. Since then, Ola has released four studio albums. Eleven of his singles have reached the top five on the Swedish singles chart, with six achieving number one, and nine attaining gold and platinum certifications. After being signed to Universal Music for many years, Ola founded his own record label Oliniho Records for the Swedish market, keeping distribution arrangements with Sony Music in Europe and internationally. Following a four-year break, he returned in 2018, recording under the stage name Brother Leo for Columbia Records. Read more
23 Feb 1983: Aziz Ansari, American comedian, actor, producer, and screenwriter Aziz Ismail Ansari is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He played Tom Haverford on the NBC series Parks and Recreation (2009–2015) and created and starred in the Netflix series Master of None (2015–2021) for which he won several acting and writing awards, including two Emmys and a Golden Globe, which was the first award received by an Asian American actor for acting on television. Read more
23 Feb 1983: Emily Blunt, English actress Emily Olivia Laura Blunt is a British-American actress. She is the recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and two Actor Awards, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award and four British Academy Film Awards. Forbes ranked her as one of the highest-paid actresses in the world in 2020. Read more
23 Feb 1983: Mido, Egyptian footballer, manager and sportscaster Ahmed Hossam Hussein Abdel Hamid Wasfi, publicly known as Mido, is an Egyptian football manager and former player who played as a striker. Read more
23 Feb 1983: Dijon Thompson, American basketball player Dijon Lynn Thompson is an American former professional basketball player who played briefly in the National Basketball Association (NBA). While he played mainly at the shooting guard position in his early career, he also played as a small forward during his European years. He is now a high school basketball coach at Valley Christian Athletics. Read more
23 Feb 1982: Jia Perkins, American basketball player and coach Jia Dorene Perkins is an American retired professional basketball player currently working as an assistant coach for the Salt Lake City Stars of the NBA G League. She announced her retirement after the 2017 season when the Lynx won the WNBA championship. She was born in Newburgh, New York. She moved to Granbury, Texas, where she attended Granbury High School. Read more
23 Feb 1982: Karan Singh Grover, Indian actor Karan Singh Grover is an Indian model and actor known for his work in television series such as Dill Mill Gayye and Qubool Hai. He has also starred in Hindi films like Alone and Hate Story 3. Read more
23 Feb 1981: Gareth Barry, English footballer Gareth Barry is an English former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. He made a total of 653 Premier League appearances for Aston Villa, Manchester City, Everton, and West Bromwich Albion, the second most appearances in Premier League history. He also represented England at international level. Read more
23 Feb 1981: Josh Gad, American actor, producer, and screenwriter Joshua Ilan Gad is an American actor. He is known for voicing Olaf in the Frozen franchise and originating the role of Elder Cunningham in the Broadway musical The Book of Mormon. Read more
23 Feb 1981: Charles Tillman, American football player Charles Anthony Tillman, nicknamed "Peanut", is an American former professional football player and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) special agent who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns, and was selected by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2003 NFL draft. Read more
23 Feb 1978: Residente, Puerto Rican singer-songwriter René Pérez Joglar, known professionally as Residente, is a Puerto Rican rapper. He is best known as one of the founders of the alternative rap band Calle 13. Residente released five albums with Calle 13 before announcing his solo career in 2015. Residente released his debut solo album in 2017. He has won four Grammy Awards and 29 Latin Grammy Awards—more than any other Latin artist. Residente has also delved into producing documentaries including Sin Mapa (2009) and Residente (2017) and has directed some of his own music videos. Read more
23 Feb 1978: Dan Snyder, Canadian ice hockey player (died 2003) Daniel Joseph Snyder was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played as a centre in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Atlanta Thrashers. Following a single-vehicle accident in which he was a passenger, Snyder was injured and fell into a coma as a result. He died six days later of septic shock. Read more
23 Feb 1977: Kristina Šmigun-Vähi, Estonian skier Kristina Šmigun-Vähi is a former Estonian female cross-country skier and politician. She is the most successful Estonian female cross-country skier with two Olympic gold medals. Since 2019, Šmigun-Vähi, a member of the Reform Party, has served as a member of the Estonian Parliament. Read more
23 Feb 1976: Kelly Macdonald, Scottish actress Kelly Macdonald is a Scottish actress. Known for her performances on film and television, she has received various accolades including a BAFTA Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and four Screen Actors Guild Awards. Read more
23 Feb 1975: Michael Cornacchia, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter Michael Cornacchia is an American actor. Read more
23 Feb 1975: Robert Lopez, American songwriter and playwright Robert Lopez is an American songwriter for musicals and playwright, best known for co-creating The Book of Mormon and Avenue Q, and for co-writing the songs featured in the Disney animated films Frozen, its sequel Frozen 2, and Coco, with his wife Kristen Anderson-Lopez. He is signed to Disney Music Publishing. Read more
23 Feb 1974: Herschelle Gibbs, South African cricketer Herschelle Herman Gibbs is a South African cricket coach and former cricketer, who played all formats of the game for fourteen years. A right-handed batsman, who mostly opened the batting, Gibbs became the first player to hit six consecutive sixes in one over in One Day International (ODI) cricket, doing so against the Netherlands in the 2007 Cricket World Cup. Read more
23 Feb 1974: Robbi Kempson, South African rugby player Robert Bruce Kempson is a South African former rugby union footballer, and the Director of High Performance and interim head coach of the Southern Kings in Pro14. Read more
23 Feb 1973: Jeff Nordgaard, American-Polish basketball player Jeff Wallace Nordgaard is an American-born naturalized Polish former professional basketball player who played briefly in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as well several top-level European leagues, during his 13-year career. He played college basketball for the Green Bay Phoenix. Read more
23 Feb 1972: Alessandro Sturba, Italian footballer Alessandro Sturba is a former Italian footballer. Read more
23 Feb 1972: Rondell White, American baseball player Rondell Bernard White is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder and designated hitter. In addition to being a solid defensive player, White also had a batting average of .300 or higher for four consecutive seasons from 1998 to 2001. Read more
23 Feb 1971: Carin Koch, Swedish golfer Anna Carin Pernilla Hjalmarsson Koch is a Swedish professional golfer who previously played on the Ladies European Tour and on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour. She was captain of the 2015 European Solheim Cup team. Read more
23 Feb 1971: Melinda Messenger, English model and television host Melinda Jane Messenger is an English television presenter and former glamour model and Page Three girl. She presented the magazine programme Live from Studio Five and was formerly the co-presenter of the reality show Cowboy Builders. Read more
23 Feb 1971: Joe-Max Moore, American soccer player Joe-Max Moore is a former American professional soccer player who played as a forward for various clubs in Germany and England in addition to two separate tenures at Major League Soccer side New England Revolution, where he retired. Read more
23 Feb 1970: Niecy Nash, American actress and producer Carol Denise Betts, known professionally as Niecy Nash-Betts, is an American actress. Her career began in the late 1990s, with appearances in the films Boys on the Side (1995) and Cookie's Fortune (1999). She garnered recognition for her portrayal of Deputy Raineesha Williams in the comedy series Reno 911!, along with hosting the Style Network show Clean House (2003–2010), for which she won a Daytime Emmy Award. Read more
23 Feb 1969: Michael Campbell, New Zealand golfer Michael Shane Campbell is a New Zealand professional golfer who is best known for having won the 2005 U.S. Open and, at the time, the richest prize in golf, the £1,000,000 HSBC World Match Play Championship, in the same year. He played on the European Tour and the PGA Tour of Australasia. Read more
23 Feb 1969: Martine Croxall, English journalist and television news presenter Martine Sarah Croxall is a British television journalist. She is one of the main news presenters on BBC News. She began her career working for the BBC in 1991 and joined the BBC News team in 2001. Croxall has presented various news programmes, including World News Today, BBC Weekend News, Dateline London and BBC News at One. Read more
23 Feb 1969: Daymond John, American fashion designer and businessman, founded FUBU Daymond Garfield John is an American businessman, investor, and television personality. He is an investor on the ABC reality television series Shark Tank. He is the founder, president, and chief executive officer of FUBU, and is the founder of The Shark Group. Read more
23 Feb 1969: Bhagyashree, Indian actress Bhagyashree Patwardhan Dassani, known mononymously as Bhagyashree, is an Indian actress. She is known for her roles in Hindi language film and television. She is a recipient of a Filmfare Award, in addition to receiving nomination for Indian Television Academy Award. Read more
23 Feb 1967: Steve Stricker, American golfer Steven Charles Stricker is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour and the PGA Tour Champions. He has twelve victories on the PGA Tour, including the WGC-Match Play title in 2001 and two FedEx Cup playoff events. His most successful season on tour came at age 42 in 2009, with three victories and a runner-up finish on the money list. Stricker spent over 250 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Ranking, reaching a career-high world ranking of No. 2 in September 2009. Stricker served as U.S. Ryder Cup captain for the 2021 matches, winning at Whistling Straits in his home state of Wisconsin. Read more
23 Feb 1967: Chris Vrenna, American drummer, songwriter, and producer Chris Vrenna is an American musician, producer, engineer, remixer, programmer, and founder of the electronic band Tweaker. Vrenna played drums for the industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails from 1988 until 1996, and was the keyboardist and drummer of the American rock band Marilyn Manson from 2004 until late 2011. Read more
23 Feb 1965: Kristin Davis, American actress and producer Kristin Landen Davis is an American actress and producer. She is known for playing Charlotte York in the HBO romantic comedy series Sex and the City (1998–2004). She received nominations at the Emmys and the Golden Globes in 2004 for her role as Charlotte, and reprised the role in the films Sex and the City (2008) and Sex and the City 2 (2010), as well as the revival of the show And Just Like That… (2021–2025) on HBO Max. Read more
23 Feb 1965: Michael Dell, American businessman Michael Saul Dell is an American billionaire businessman and investor. He is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Dell Technologies, one of the world's largest technology infrastructure companies. Read more
23 Feb 1965: Helena Suková, Czech-Monacan tennis player Helena Suková is a Czech former professional tennis player. She was ranked as the world No. 1 in women's doubles by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), and No. 4 in singles. Suková won 14 major titles: nine in women's doubles and five in mixed doubles. She is also a two-time Olympic silver medalist in doubles, a four-time major singles runner-up, and won a total of ten singles titles and 69 doubles titles. Read more
23 Feb 1964: John Norum, Norwegian guitarist and songwriter John Terry Norum is a Norwegian-born Swedish guitarist and one of the founders of the rock band Europe. Concurrent to his role with Europe, he also maintains a career as a solo artist. Read more
23 Feb 1963: Bobby Bonilla, American baseball player Roberto Martin Antonio Bonilla is an American former professional baseball third baseman and outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1986 to 2001. Read more
23 Feb 1963: Radosław Sikorski, Polish journalist and politician, 11th Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Radosław Tomasz "Radek" Sikorski is a Polish politician, journalist and statesman who has served as Minister of Foreign Affairs since 2023, previously holding the office between 2007 and 2014, since 2025 also serving as Deputy Prime Minister. He was a Member of the European Parliament between 2019 and 2023. Earlier he was Marshal of the Sejm from 2014 to 2015. He previously served as Deputy Minister of National Defence in 1992 in Jan Olszewski's cabinet, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs between 1998 and 2001 in Jerzy Buzek's cabinet and Minister of National Defence between 2005 and 2007 in the cabinets of Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz and Jarosław Kaczyński. Read more
23 Feb 1962: Michael Wilton, American guitarist Michael F. Wilton also known as The Whip, for how fast his fingers "whip" around the guitar fretboard, is an American musician, best known for being a guitarist and songwriter in the progressive metal band Queensrÿche, which he co-founded in 1982. Read more
23 Feb 1960: Naruhito, Emperor of Japan Naruhito is Emperor of Japan. He acceded to the Chrysanthemum Throne following the abdication of his father, Akihito, on 1 May 2019, beginning the Reiwa era. He is the 126th monarch, according to the traditional order of succession. Read more
23 Feb 1959: Clayton Anderson, American engineer and astronaut Clayton Conrad Anderson is a retired NASA astronaut. Launched on STS-117, he replaced Sunita Williams on June 10, 2007 as a member of the ISS Expedition 15 crew. He is currently an author, a motivational speaker, and a Professor of Practice at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. In 2022, he became the president and CEO of the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum. Read more
23 Feb 1959: Nick de Bois, English politician Geoffrey Nicholas de Bois is a British broadcaster and former Conservative Party politician, who served as special adviser and chief of staff to Dominic Raab during his brief tenure as Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union. He was elected at the 2010 general election as the Member of Parliament for Enfield North, defeating the Labour incumbent MP Joan Ryan.
de Bois then went on to lose the seat to Ryan at the next general election, in May 2015. Read more
23 Feb 1959: Ian Liddell-Grainger, Scottish soldier and politician Ian Richard Peregrine Liddell-Grainger is a British former Conservative Party politician and former property developer. He was MP for Bridgwater from 2001 until 2010, and until 2024, MP for Bridgwater and West Somerset. Through his mother, he is a great-great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria, third cousin of Charles III and second cousin once removed of Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. Read more
23 Feb 1959: Linda Nolan, Irish singer and actress (died 2025) Linda Mary Hudson was an Irish singer, actress, and television personality. Read more
23 Feb 1958: David Sylvian, English singer-songwriter David Sylvian is an English musician, singer and songwriter who came to prominence in the late 1970s as frontman and principal songwriter of the band Japan. Read more
23 Feb 1957: Charlie Brandt, American serial killer (died 2004) Carl Eric "Charlie" Brandt was an American serial killer who murdered at least four women: his mother in Indiana and a homeless woman, his wife, and his niece in Florida. Growing up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Brandt shot his parents in their family home on the night of January 3, 1971, when he was 13, killing his pregnant mother and wounding his father. He spent one year at a psychiatric hospital before being released and was never criminally charged. On September 13, 2004, Brandt stabbed his wife and niece to death and then hanged himself in his niece's garage in Maitland, Florida. Read more
23 Feb 1956: Sandra Osborne, Scottish politician Sandra Currie Osborne is a Scottish Labour politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock from the 2005 to 2015 general elections. She was first elected as MP for the Ayr constituency in 1997, and resigned from a government job in 2003 over the Iraq War. She was a member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee from 2005 to 2010 and again from 2013. She was a member of the Defence Select Committee 2010-13 and was a member of the Council of Europe. Read more
23 Feb 1955: Howard Jones, English singer-songwriter John Howard Jones is an English singer, musician and songwriter. He had ten top 40 hit singles on the UK singles chart between 1983 and 1986, six of which reached the top ten, including "Like to Get to Know You Well", "What Is Love?", "New Song", and "Things Can Only Get Better". His debut studio album Human's Lib (1984) reached number one on the UK Albums Chart. Around the world, Jones had 15 top 40 hit singles between 1983 and 1992. The 1986 hit single "No One Is to Blame" reached No. 4 on the US charts. Four others placed in the US top 20. Read more
23 Feb 1955: Flip Saunders, American basketball player and coach (died 2015) Philip Daniel "Flip" Saunders was an American basketball player and coach. During his career, he coached the La Crosse Catbirds, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, and Washington Wizards. Read more
23 Feb 1955: Francesca Simon, American-British author Francesca Isabella Simon is an American-born British author. She is most famous for writing the Horrid Henry series of children's books. Read more
23 Feb 1954: Rajini Thiranagama, Sri Lankan physician and academic (died 1989) Rajani Thiranagama was a Sri Lankan Tamil human rights activist and feminist who was assassinated by the LTTE cadres after she had criticised them for their atrocities. At the time of her assassination, she was the head of the Department of Anatomy at the University of Jaffna and an active member and one of the founders of University Teachers for Human Rights, Jaffna. Read more
23 Feb 1954: Viktor Yushchenko, Ukrainian captain and politician, 3rd President of Ukraine Viktor Andriiovych Yushchenko is a Ukrainian politician who was the third president of Ukraine from 23 January 2005 to 25 February 2010. He aimed to orient Ukraine towards the West, European Union, the G7 and NATO. Read more
23 Feb 1953: Kenny Bee, Hong Kong singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor Chung Chun-to, also known as Kenny Bee, is a Hong Kong singer and actor. He rose to fame as the frontman of the Wynners, with whom he won the Golden Needle Award, the highest honor in Hong Kong music, in 1989. He received the award again in 2016 as a solo artist. Read more
23 Feb 1953: Satoru Nakajima, Japanese racing driver Satoru Nakajima is a Japanese former racing driver and motorsport executive, who competed in Formula One from 1987 to 1991. Read more
23 Feb 1952: Brad Whitford, American guitarist and songwriter Bradley Ernest Whitford is an American musician who is best known as a guitarist for the hard rock band Aerosmith for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001. He has also worked as a songwriter for the group, co-composing well-received tracks such as 1976's "Last Child". Read more
23 Feb 1951: Eddie Dibbs, American tennis player Eddie Dibbs is a retired American tennis player also nicknamed "Fast Eddie". He attained a career-high singles ranking of world No. 5 in July 1978, winning 22 titles and being a runner-up another 20 times. Read more
23 Feb 1951: Debbie Friedman, American singer-songwriter of Jewish melodies (died 2011) Deborah Lynn Friedman was an American singer-songwriter of religious Jewish music. She was an early pioneer of gender-sensitive language: using the feminine forms of the Divine or altering masculine-only text references in the Jewish Liturgy to include feminine language. Read more
23 Feb 1951: Ed "Too Tall" Jones, American football player and boxer Edward Lee Jones, commonly known as Ed "Too Tall" Jones due to his height, is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end for 15 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL). In 1979, he briefly left football to attempt a career in professional boxing. Read more
23 Feb 1951: Patricia Richardson, American actress Patricia Richardson is an American actress best known for her portrayal of Jill Taylor on the ABC sitcom Home Improvement, for which she was nominated four times for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and twice for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical. She also received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her performance in Ulee's Gold (1997). Read more
23 Feb 1950: Rebecca Goldstein, American philosopher and author Rebecca Goldstein is an American philosopher and novelist. She has written ten books, both fiction and nonfiction. She holds a Ph.D. in philosophy of science from Princeton University, and is sometimes grouped with novelists such as Richard Powers and Alan Lightman, who create fiction that is knowledgeable of, and sympathetic toward, science. Read more
23 Feb 1950: John Greaves, Welsh bass guitarist and composer John Greaves is a British bass guitarist, pianist and composer who was a member of Henry Cow and has collaborated with Peter Blegvad. He was also a member of progressive rock band National Health and jazz-rock supergroup Soft Heap, and has recorded several solo albums, including Accident (1982), Parrot Fashions (1984), The Caretaker (2001) and Greaves Verlaine (2008). Read more
23 Feb 1949: César Aira, Argentine author and translator César Aira is an Argentine writer and translator, and an exponent of contemporary Argentine literature. He has published over a hundred short books of stories, novels and essays. He has lectured at the University of Buenos Aires, on Copi and Arthur Rimbaud, and at the University of Rosario on Constructivism and Stéphane Mallarmé, and has translated and edited books from France, England, Italy, Brazil, Spain, Mexico, and Venezuela. Read more
23 Feb 1949: Marc Garneau, Canadian engineer, astronaut, and politician (died 2025) Joseph Jean-Pierre Marc Garneau was a Canadian Armed Forces officer, astronaut and politician. Garneau served as a naval officer before being selected as an astronaut as part of the 1983 NRC Group. He became the first Canadian in space on October 5, 1984, and flew on three Space Shuttle missions. From 2001 to 2005, Garneau was president of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Garneau entered politics and was elected to the House of Commons in 2008, serving as a Montreal-area member of Parliament (MP) until 2023. A member of the Liberal Party, Garneau served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from January to October in 2021 and as Minister of Transport from 2015 to 2021. Read more
23 Feb 1948: Bill Alexander, English director and producer William Alexander Paterson known professionally as Bill Alexander is a British theatre director who is best known for his work with the Royal Shakespeare Company and as artistic director of Birmingham Repertory Theatre. He currently works as a freelance, internationally as a theatre director and most recently as a director of BBC Radio 4 drama. Read more
23 Feb 1948: Trevor Cherry, English footballer (died 2020) Trevor John Cherry was an English footballer who notably captained both England and Leeds United. A defender, Cherry also played for Huddersfield Town and Bradford City, and managed the latter club. Read more
23 Feb 1948: Steve Priest, English singer-songwriter and bass player (died 2020) Stephen Norman Priest was an English musician who was the bassist of the glam rock band The Sweet. Read more
23 Feb 1947: Pia Kjærsgaard, Danish politician, Speaker of the Danish Parliament Pia Merete Kjærsgaard is a Danish politician who was Speaker of the Danish Parliament from 2015 to 2019, and former leader of the Danish People's Party. Read more
23 Feb 1947: Anton Mosimann, Swiss chef and author Anton Mosimann is a Swiss chef and restaurateur who was Maitre Chef des Cuisines at the Dorchester Hotel for thirteen years, during which time its restaurant achieved a rating of two stars in the Michelin Guide. After leaving The Dorchester Mosimann took over a private dining club called The Belfrey and created Mosimann's, a cookery school, and other enterprises in the hospitality industry. He has also presented television programmes in the UK and Switzerland. In 2016 a museum dedicated to his life and culinary arts was opened in the campus of Culinary Arts Academy Switzerland, located on the shores of Lake Geneva, in the town of Le Bouveret. Read more
23 Feb 1946: Rusty Young, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 2021) Norman Russell Young was an American guitarist, vocalist and songwriter, best known as one of the frontmen in the influential country rock and Americana band Poco. Read more
23 Feb 1945: Allan Boesak, South African cleric and politician Allan Aubrey Boesak is a South African Dutch Reformed Church cleric, politician and anti-apartheid activist. He was sentenced to prison for fraud in 1999 but was subsequently granted an official pardon and reinstated as a cleric in late 2004. Read more
23 Feb 1944: Bernard Cornwell, English author and educator Bernard Cornwell is an English author of historical novels and a history of the Waterloo campaign. He is best known for his long-running series of novels about Napoleonic Wars rifleman Richard Sharpe. He has also written The Saxon Stories, a series of thirteen novels about the unification of England. Read more
23 Feb 1944: Florian Fricke, German keyboard player and composer (died 2001) Florian Fricke was a German musician who started his professional career with electronic music, using the Moog synthesizer, and was a founding member of the Krautrock band Popol Vuh. Read more
23 Feb 1944: Johnny Winter, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (died 2014) John Dawson Winter III was an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, and record producer. Winter was known for his high-energy blues rock albums, live performances, and slide guitar playing from the late 1960s into the early 2000s. He also produced three Grammy Award–winning albums for blues singer and guitarist Muddy Waters. After his time with Waters, Winter recorded several Grammy-nominated blues albums. In 1988, he was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame and in 2003, he was ranked 63rd in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". Read more
23 Feb 1943: Fred Biletnikoff, American football player and coach Frederick Biletnikoff is an American former professional football player and coach. He played as a wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons and later was an assistant coach with the team. He retired as an NFL player after the 1978 season then played one more season in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Montreal Alouettes in 1980. While he lacked the breakaway speed to be a deep-play threat, Biletnikoff was one of the most sure-handed and consistent receivers of his day with a propensity for making spectacular catches. He was also known for running smooth, precise pass routes. He is a member of both the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1988) and College Football Hall of Fame (1991). Read more
23 Feb 1943: Bobby Mitchell, American golfer (died 2018) Bobby Wayne Mitchell was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. Read more
23 Feb 1941: Ron Hunt, American baseball player Ronald Kenneth (Ron) Hunt is an American former professional baseball second baseman. He played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1963 to 1974 for the New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, Montreal Expos and St. Louis Cardinals. He batted and threw right-handed. Read more
23 Feb 1940: Peter Fonda, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (died 2019) Peter Henry Fonda was an American actor, film director, and screenwriter. He was twice an Academy Award nominee, both for acting and screenwriting, and a two-time Golden Globe Award winner for his acting. He was a member of the Fonda acting family, as the son of actor Henry Fonda, the brother of actress and activist Jane Fonda, and the father of actress Bridget Fonda. Read more
23 Feb 1940: Jackie Smith, American football player Jackie Larue Smith is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL) for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for the Northwestern State Demons. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994. Read more
23 Feb 1939: Lee Shaffer, American basketball player Lee Philip Shaffer II is an American former professional basketball player. Read more
23 Feb 1938: Sylvia Chase, American broadcast journalist (died 2019) Sylvia Belle Chase was an American broadcast journalist. She was a correspondent for ABC's 20/20 from its inception until 1985, when she left to become a news anchor at KRON-TV in San Francisco; in 1990 she returned to ABC News in New York. Read more
23 Feb 1938: Paul Morrissey, American director, producer, and screenwriter (died 2024) Paul Joseph Morrissey was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was best known for his long association with Andy Warhol and the Factory scene during the 1960s and early 1970s. Read more
23 Feb 1938: Diane Varsi, American actress (died 1992) Diane Marie Antonia Varsi was an American film actress best known for her performances in Peyton Place – her film debut, for which she was nominated for an Academy Award – and the cult film Wild in the Streets. She left Hollywood to pursue personal and artistic aims, notably at Bennington College in Vermont, where she studied poetry with poet and translator Ben Belitt. Read more
23 Feb 1937: Tom Osborne, American football player, coach, and politician Thomas William Osborne is an American former football player, coach, college athletics administrator, and politician from Nebraska. He served as head football coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers from 1973 to 1997. After being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999, Osborne was elected to Congress in 2000 from Nebraska's third district as a Republican. He served three terms (2001–2007), returned to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln as athletic director in 2007, and retired in 2013. Read more
23 Feb 1932: Majel Barrett, American actress and producer (died 2008) Majel Barrett-Roddenberry was an American actress. She was best known for her roles as various characters in the Star Trek franchise: Nurse Christine Chapel, Number One, Lwaxana Troi, and the voice of most onboard computer interfaces throughout the series from 1966 to 2008. Read more
23 Feb 1931: Tom Wesselmann, American painter and sculptor (died 2004) Thomas K. Wesselmann was an American artist associated with the pop art movement who worked in painting, collage and sculpture. Read more
23 Feb 1930: Paul West, English-American author, poet, and academic (died 2015) Paul Noden West was a British-born American novelist, poet, and essayist. He was born in Eckington, Derbyshire in England to Alfred and Mildred (Noden) West. Before his death, he resided in Ithaca, New York, with his wife Diane Ackerman, a writer, poet, and naturalist. West is the author of more than 50 books. Read more
23 Feb 1929: Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow (died 2008) Patriarch Alexy II was the 15th Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus', the primate of the Russian Orthodox Church. Read more
23 Feb 1929: Elston Howard, American baseball player and coach (died 1980) Elston Gene Howard was an American professional baseball player who was a catcher and a left fielder. During a 14-year baseball career, he played in the Negro leagues and Major League Baseball from 1948 through 1968, primarily for the New York Yankees. A 12-time All-Star, he also played for the Kansas City Monarchs and the Boston Red Sox. Howard served on the Yankees' coaching staff from 1969 to 1979. Read more
23 Feb 1928: Hans Herrmann, German racing driver (died 2026) Hans Herrmann was a German Formula One and sports car racing driver from Stuttgart. Read more
23 Feb 1928: Vasily Lazarev, Russian colonel, physician, and astronaut (died 1990) Vasily Grigoryevich Lazarev was a Soviet cosmonaut who flew on the Soyuz 12 spaceflight as well as the abortive Soyuz 18a launch on 5 April 1975. Read more
23 Feb 1927: Régine Crespin, French soprano and actress (died 2007) Régine Crespin was a French soprano who had a major international career in opera and on the concert stage between 1950 and 1989. She started her career singing roles in the dramatic soprano and spinto soprano repertoire, drawing particular acclaim singing Wagner and Strauss heroines. She went on to sing a wider repertoire that embraced Italian, French, German, and Russian opera from a variety of musical periods. In the early 1970s Crespin began experiencing vocal difficulties for the first time and ultimately began performing roles from the mezzo-soprano repertoire. Throughout her career she was widely admired for the elegance, warmth and subtlety of her singing, especially in the French and German operatic repertories. Read more
23 Feb 1927: Jessica Huntley, Guyanese activist and publisher (died 2013) Jessica Elleisse Huntley was a Guyanese-British political reformer and prominent race equality campaigner. She was a publisher of black and Asian literature, and a women's and community rights activist. She is notable as the founder in 1969 of Bogle-L'Ouverture Publications in London. Read more
23 Feb 1925: Louis Stokes, American lawyer and politician (died 2015) Louis Stokes was an American attorney, civil rights pioneer and politician. He served 15 terms in the United States House of Representatives – representing the east side of Cleveland – and was the first African American congressman elected in the state of Ohio. He was one of the Cold War era chairmen of the United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, headed the Congressional Black Caucus, and was the first African American on the United States House Committee on Appropriations. Read more
23 Feb 1924: Allan McLeod Cormack, South-African-American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1998) Allan MacLeod Cormack was a South African and American physicist, academic, and Nobel laureate. He was Professor of Physics at Tufts University and won the 1979 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work on X-ray computed tomography (CT), a significant and unusual achievement since Cormack did not hold a doctoral degree in any scientific field. Read more
23 Feb 1923: Rafael Addiego Bruno, Uruguayan jurist and politician, President of Uruguay (died 2014) Rafael Addiego Bruno was a Uruguayan jurist and political figure. Read more
23 Feb 1923: Harry Clarke, English footballer (died 2000) Henry Alfred Clarke was a professional footballer who spent his entire senior career at Tottenham Hotspur. He also represented England on one occasion. Read more
23 Feb 1923: Ioannis Grivas, Greek judge and politician, 176th Prime Minister of Greece (died 2016) Ioannis Grivas was a Greek judge, who served as President of the Court of Cassation and served as the Prime Minister of Greece at the head of a non-party caretaker government in 1989. Read more
23 Feb 1923: Dante Lavelli, American football player (died 2009) Dante Bert Joseph Lavelli, nicknamed "Gluefingers", was an American professional football end who played for the Cleveland Browns in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and the National Football League (NFL) from 1946 to 1956. Starring alongside quarterback Otto Graham, fullback Marion Motley, kicker Lou Groza and fellow receiver Mac Speedie, Lavelli was an integral part of a Browns team that won seven championships during his 11-season career. Lavelli was known for his sure hands and improvisations on the field. He was also renowned for making catches in critical situations, earning the nickname "Mr. Clutch". Browns head coach Paul Brown once said of him: "Lavelli had one of the strongest pairs of hands I've ever seen, when he went up for a pass with a defender, you could almost always count on him coming back down with the ball." Read more
23 Feb 1923: Clarence D. Lester, American fighter pilot (died 1986) Clarence D. "Lucky" Lester was an American fighter pilot who served in the 332nd Fighter Group, commonly known as the Tuskegee Airmen, during World War II. He was one of the first African-American military aviators in the United States Army Air Corps, the United States Army Air Forces and later the United States Air Force. Read more
23 Feb 1923: Mary Francis Shura, American author (died 1991) Mary Francis Shura Craig was an American writer of over 50 novels from 1960 to 1990. She wrote children's adventures and young adult romances as Mary Francis Shura, M. F. Craig, and Meredith Hill; gothic novels as Mary Craig; romance novels as Alexis Hill, Mary Shura Craig and Mary S. Craig; and suspense novels as M. S. Craig. Read more
23 Feb 1922: Johnny Franz, English record producer (died 1977) John Charles Franz was an English record producer and A&R man at the Philips label. He was one of Britain's most successful producers in the 1950s and 1960s. While his recordings encompassed several forms of mainstream popular music, his most enduring contributions were to British pop music of the mid-1960s on records by Dusty Springfield, the Walker Brothers, and the early solo recordings of Scott Walker. From 1973, he was responsible for the production of Peters & Lee recordings, which included their No. 1 chart hit "Welcome Home". Read more
23 Feb 1920: Paul Gérin-Lajoie, Canadian lawyer and politician (died 2018) Paul Gérin-Lajoie, was a Canadian lawyer, philanthropist, and a former member of the National Assembly of Quebec and Cabinet Minister. Read more
23 Feb 1919: Johnny Carey, Irish footballer and manager (died 1995) John Joseph Carey was an Irish professional footballer and manager. As a player, Carey spent most of his career at Manchester United, where he was team captain from 1946 until he retired as a player in 1953. He was also a dual internationalist, playing for and captaining both Ireland teams – the FAI XI and the IFA XI. In 1947 he also captained a Europe XI which played a Great Britain XI at Hampden Park. In 1949 he was voted the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year and in the same year captained the FAI XI that defeated England 2–0 at Goodison Park, becoming the first non-UK team to beat England at home. Carey was also the first non-UK player and the first Irishman to captain a winning team in both an FA Cup Final and the First Division. Like his contemporary Con Martin, Carey was an extremely versatile footballer and played in nine different positions throughout his career. He even played in goal for United on one occasion. Read more
23 Feb 1915: Jon Hall, American actor and director (died 1979) Jon Hall was an American film actor known for playing a variety of adventurous roles, as in 1937's The Hurricane, and later when contracted to Universal Pictures, including Invisible Agent, The Invisible Man's Revenge, and six films with Maria Montez. He was also the creator and star of the Ramar of the Jungle television series that ran from 1952 to 1954. Hall directed and starred in two 1960s science fiction films in his later years, The Beach Girls and the Monster (1965) and The Navy vs. the Night Monsters (1966). Read more
23 Feb 1915: Paul Tibbets, American general and pilot (died 2007) Paul Warfield Tibbets Jr. was a brigadier general in the United States Air Force. He is best known as the aircraft captain who flew the B-29 Superfortress known as the Enola Gay when it dropped a Little Boy, the first of two atomic bombs used in warfare, on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Read more
23 Feb 1908: William McMahon, Australian lawyer and politician, 20th Prime Minister of Australia (died 1988) Sir William McMahon was an Australian politician who served as the 20th prime minister of Australia from 1971 to 1972. He held office as the leader of the Liberal Party of Australia, and previously held various ministerial positions from 1951 to 1971, the longest continuous service in Australian history. Read more
23 Feb 1904: Terence Fisher, English director and screenwriter (died 1980) Terence Fisher was a British film director best known for his work for Hammer Films. Read more
23 Feb 1904: William L. Shirer, American journalist and historian (died 1993) William Lawrence Shirer was an American journalist, war correspondent, and historian. His Nazi Germany history The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich has been read and cited in scholarly works for more than 60 years; its 50th anniversary was marked by a new edition of the book. Read more
23 Feb 1899: Erich Kästner, German author and poet (died 1974) Emil Erich Kästner was a German writer, poet, screenwriter and satirist, known primarily for his humorous, socially astute poems and for children's books including Emil and the Detectives and Lisa and Lottie. He received the international Hans Christian Andersen Award in 1960 for his autobiography When I Was a Little Boy. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in eight separate years. Read more
23 Feb 1899: Norman Taurog, American director and screenwriter (died 1981) Norman Rae Taurog was an American film director and screenwriter. From 1920 to 1968, Taurog directed 180 films. At the age of 32, he received the Academy Award for Best Director for Skippy (1931), becoming the youngest person to win the award for eight and a half decades until Damien Chazelle won for La La Land in 2017. He was later nominated for Best Director for the film Boys Town (1938). He directed some of the best-known actors of the twentieth century, including his nephew Jackie Cooper, Spencer Tracy, Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, Deanna Durbin, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Deborah Kerr, Peter Lawford, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Elvis Presley and Vincent Price. Taurog directed six Martin and Lewis films, and nine Elvis Presley films, more than any other director. Read more
23 Feb 1894: Harold Horder, Australian rugby league player and coach (died 1978) Harold Norman Horder was an Australian rugby league footballer. He was a national and state representative player whose club career was with South Sydney and North Sydney between 1912 and 1924. Regarded as one of the greatest wingers to play the game, from 1924 until 1969 his 152 career tries was the NSWRFL record. Read more
23 Feb 1892: Kathleen Harrison, English actress (died 1995) Kathleen Harrison was a prolific English character actress best remembered for her role as Mrs. Huggett in a trio of British post-war comedies about a working-class family's misadventures, The Huggetts. She later played the charwoman Mrs. Dilber opposite Alastair Sim in the 1951 film Scrooge and a Cockney charwoman who inherits a fortune in the television series Mrs Thursday (1966–67). Read more
23 Feb 1892: Agnes Smedley, American journalist and writer (died 1950) Agnes Smedley was an American journalist, writer and activist who supported the Indian Independence Movement and the Chinese Communist Revolution. Raised in a poverty-stricken miner's family in Missouri and Colorado, she dramatized the formation of her feminist and socialist consciousness in the autobiographical novel Daughter of Earth (1929). Read more
23 Feb 1889: Musidora, French actress and director (died 1957) Jeanne Roques, known professionally as Musidora, was a French actress, film director, and writer. She is best known for her acting in silent films, and rose to public attention for roles in the Louis Feuillade serials Les Vampires as Irma Vep and in Judex as Marie Verdier. Read more
23 Feb 1889: Cyril Delevanti, English-American actor (died 1975) Harry Cyril Delevanti was an English character actor, with a long career in American films during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He appeared in some 170 productions, and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture for his performance in John Huston's The Night of the Iguana (1964). Read more
23 Feb 1889: Victor Fleming, American director, cinematographer, and producer (died 1949) Victor Lonzo Fleming was an American film director, cinematographer, and producer. His most popular films were the historical drama Gone with the Wind, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Director, and the fantasy film The Wizard of Oz. Fleming has those same two films listed in the top 10 of the American Film Institute's 2007 AFI's 100 Years…100 Movies list. Read more
23 Feb 1889: John Gilbert Winant, American captain, pilot, and politician, 60th Governor of New Hampshire (died 1947) John Gilbert Winant OM was an American diplomat and politician with the Republican party after a brief career as a teacher in Concord, New Hampshire. John Winant held positions in New Hampshire, national, and international politics. He was the 60th governor of New Hampshire from 1925 to 1927 and 1931 to 1935. Winant also served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom during most of World War II. Depressed by career disappointments, a failed marriage and heavy debt, he killed himself in 1947. Read more
23 Feb 1884: Casimir Funk, Polish biochemist (died 1967) Casimir Funk was a Polish biochemist generally credited with being among the first to formulate the concept of vitamins after publishing a landmark medical writing in 1912. He highlighted these "vital amines" as critical in fighting significant diseases such as pellagra and rickets, and his analysis influenced a major shift in scientific thinking. His scientific work involved research in Poland, France and the United Kingdom. In 1920, he became a citizen of the United States where he continued his work. Read more
23 Feb 1883: Karl Jaspers, German-Swiss psychiatrist and philosopher (died 1969) Karl Theodor Jaspers was a German-Swiss psychiatrist and philosopher who had a strong influence on modern theology, psychiatry, and philosophy. His 1913 work General Psychopathology influenced many later diagnostic criteria, and argued for a distinction between "primary" and "secondary" delusions. Read more
23 Feb 1883: Guy C. Wiggins, American painter (died 1962) Guy Carleton Wiggins NA was an American impressionist painter. He was the president of the Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts, and a member of the Old Lyme Art Colony. He did many paintings of New York City's snowy streets, landmarks and towering skyscrapers during winter. Read more
23 Feb 1878: Kazimir Malevich, Ukrainian painter and theorist (died 1935) Kazimir Severinovich Malevich was a Russian avant-garde artist and art theorist, whose pioneering work and writing influenced the development of abstract art in the 20th century. His concept of Suprematism sought to develop a form of expression that moved as far as possible from the world of natural forms (objectivity) and subject matter in order to access "the supremacy of pure feeling" and spirituality. Born in Kiev, modern-day Ukraine, to an ethnic Polish family, Malevich was active primarily in Russia and became a leading artist of the Russian avant-garde. His work has been also associated with the Ukrainian avant-garde, and he is a central figure in the history of modern art in Central and Eastern Europe more broadly. Read more
23 Feb 1874: Konstantin Päts, Estonian lawyer and politician, 1st President of Estonia (died 1956) Konstantin Päts was an Estonian statesman and the country's president from 1938 to 1940. Päts was one of the most influential politicians of the independent democratic Republic of Estonia, and during the two decades prior to World War II he also served five times as the country's State Elder. After the 16–17 June 1940 Soviet invasion and occupation of Estonia, Päts remained formally in office for over a month, until he was forced to resign, imprisoned by the new Stalinist regime, and deported to the USSR, where he died in 1956. Read more
23 Feb 1873: Liang Qichao, Chinese journalist, philosopher, and scholar (died 1929) Liang Qichao was a Chinese politician, social and political activist, journalist, and intellectual. His thought had a significant influence on the political reformation of modern China. He inspired Chinese scholars and activists with his writings and reform movements. His translations of Western and Japanese books into Chinese further introduced new theories and ideas and inspired young activists. Liang was of Taishanese descent. Read more
23 Feb 1868: W. E. B. Du Bois, American sociologist, historian, and activist (died 1963) William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was an American sociologist, writer, historian, and Pan-Africanist civil rights activist. Born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, Du Bois grew up in a relatively tolerant and integrated community. After completing graduate work at Harvard University, where he was the first African American to earn a doctorate. He was a professor at Atlanta University and over the course of his life wrote a large number of books and articles. He spent the last years of his life in Ghana and died in Accra on August 27, 1963. Read more
23 Feb 1868: Anna Hofman-Uddgren, Swedish actress, singer, and director (died 1947) Anna Maria Viktoria Hofman-Uddgren née Hammarström; also known as Hoffman and Hofmann, was a Swedish actress, cabaret singer, music hall and revue artist, theatre director, and film director. Until 2016, she was referred to as the first woman to become a film director in Sweden. Read more
23 Feb 1850: César Ritz, Swiss businessman, founded The Ritz Hotel, London and Hôtel Ritz Paris (died 1918) César Ritz, born Cäsar Ritz, was a Swiss hotelier and founder of several hotels, most famously the Hôtel Ritz in Paris and the Ritz and Carlton Hotels in London. He was an early hotel chain founder known as "King of Hoteliers, and Hotelier to Kings," and it is from his name and that of his hotels that the term ritzy derives. Read more
23 Feb 1842: Karl Robert Eduard von Hartmann, German philosopher and author (died 1906) Karl Robert Eduard von Hartmann was a German philosopher, independent scholar and writer. He was the author of the influential Philosophy of the Unconscious (1869). von Hartmann's notable ideas include the theory of the Unconscious and a pessimistic interpretation of the "best of all possible worlds" concept in metaphysics. Read more
23 Feb 1831: Hendrik Willem Mesdag, Dutch painter (died 1915) Hendrik Willem Mesdag was a Dutch marine painter. Read more
23 Feb 1830: Magdalene Osenbroch, Norwegian actress (died 1854) Magdalene Henrikke Dedichen Osenbroch was a Norwegian actress who mainly performed at the Det norske Theater in Bergen. Read more
23 Feb 1805: Johan Jakob Nervander, Finnish poet, physicist and meteorologist (died 1848) Johan Jakob Nervander was a Finnish poet, physicist, and meteorologist. Read more

🕊️ Important Deaths on 23 February in World History

23 Feb 2025: Larry Dolan, American attorney (born 1931) Lawrence J. Dolan was an American attorney who was the principal owner of the Cleveland Guardians of the Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2000 until his death in 2025 and the founder of SportsTime Ohio. Read more
23 Feb 2025: Chris Jasper, American singer, composer and producer (born 1951) Christopher Howard Jasper was an American singer, composer and producer. Jasper was a member of the Isley Brothers from 1973 to 1983, and Isley-Jasper-Isley from 1984 to 1987. He was also a successful solo musician and record producer, recording over 17 of his own solo albums, including four urban contemporary gospel albums, all written, produced and performed, both vocally and instrumentally, by Jasper. Read more
23 Feb 2025: Al Trautwig, American sports commentator (born 1956) Alan Trautwig was an American sports commentator who worked with MSG Network, ABC, NBC, NBC Sports Network, and USA Network. He later did pre-game and post-game shows for the New York Knicks and New York Rangers, as well as fill-in play-by-play for both teams. Read more
23 Feb 2024: Flaco, Eurasian eagle-owl (born 2010) Flaco was a male Eurasian eagle-owl who escaped his long-time enclosure at Central Park Zoo in New York City after someone cut the protective netting in February 2023. Flaco subsequently resided in and around Central Park. His escape attracted significant public and press attention, especially as he was of a species not native to North America. There were concerns for his ability to feed himself after being captive for so long, since he had not previously needed to fly or hunt, but he was seen successfully catching and eating rats a week after his escape. Attempts to recapture Flaco failed, and a petition circulated advocating that he remain free. Zoo officials ceased attempts to recapture him once it became clear he was eating on a regular basis and his flying skills improved. Read more
23 Feb 2023: Tony Earl, American politician, 40th Governor of Wisconsin (born 1936) Anthony Scully Earl was an American lawyer and Democratic politician who served as the 41st governor of Wisconsin from 1983 until 1987. Prior to his election as governor, he served as secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Administration and secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in the administration of Governor Patrick Lucey. He also served three terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Marathon County. Read more
23 Feb 2023: John Motson, English football commentator (born 1945) John Walker Motson was an English football commentator. Beginning as a television commentator with the BBC in 1971, he commentated on over 2000 games on television and radio. From the late 1970s to 2008, Motson was the dominant football commentary figure at the BBC, apart from a brief spell in the mid-1990s. Read more
23 Feb 2021: Ahmed Zaki Yamani, Saudi Arabian politician (born 1930) Ahmed Zaki Yamani was a Saudi Arabian politician who served as Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources under four Saudi monarchs from 1962 to 1986, and a minister in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) for 25 years. Read more
23 Feb 2019: Katherine Helmond, American actress (born 1929) Katherine Marie Helmond was an American actress. Over an acting career spanning six decades, she was best known for her starring role as Jessica Tate on the sitcom Soap (1977–1981) and her co-starring role as Mona Robinson on Who's the Boss? (1984–1992). Helmond also played Doris Sherman on Coach (1995–1997) and Lois Whelan on Everybody Loves Raymond (1996–2004). She also appeared as a guest on several talk and variety shows. Read more
23 Feb 2016: Peter Lustig, German television host and author (born 1937) Peter Fritz Willi Lustig was a German television presenter, voice actor and author of children's books who has become especially well known as leading actor in the weekly children's television show Löwenzahn, which he hosted from 1979 up until 2006. During its first year the show was called Pusteblume. He also hosted the show Mittendrin (1987–95), narrated the film Gordos Reise ans Ende der Welt (2007) and provided the German voice for the computer game character Gary Gadget. Read more
23 Feb 2016: Jacqueline Mattson, American baseball player (born 1928) Jacqueline "Jackie" Mattson was an American baseball player who played in the catcher position. She played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) in 1950 and 1951, batting and throwing right-handed. She measured in at 5 foot 5 inches, weighing 100 pounds. Read more
23 Feb 2015: James Aldridge, Australian-English journalist and author (born 1918) Harold Edward James Aldridge was an Australian-British writer and journalist. His World War II despatches were published worldwide and he was the author of over 30 books, both fiction and non-fiction works, including war and adventure novels and books for children. Read more
23 Feb 2015: Rana Bhagwandas, Pakistani lawyer and judge, Chief Justice of Pakistan (born 1942) Rana Bhagwandas was a Pakistani jurist who served as a judge and acting Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan (CJP). He enjoyed extremely high reputation as a judge. He remained the acting CJP during the 2007 judicial crisis in Pakistan, and also briefly became the acting Chief Justice of Pakistan when the incumbent Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry went on foreign tours in 2005 and 2006, and thus became the first Hindu and the second non-Muslim to serve as chief of the highest court in Pakistan. Rana Bhagwandas also worked as the Chairman of Federal Public Service Commission of Pakistan. He headed the interview panel for the selection of the federal civil servants in 2009. Read more
23 Feb 2015: W. E. "Bill" Dykes, American soldier and politician (born 1925) William E. "Bill" Dykes was a Democratic former state senator from his native St. Helena Parish, Louisiana, who represented his state's 11th District from 1972 to 1984. Prior to his legislative service, he had been mayor of Montpelier, Louisiana. Read more
23 Feb 2014: Alice Herz-Sommer, Czech-English Holocaust survivor, pianist and educator (born 1903) Alice Herz-Sommer, was a Czech-born Israeli classical pianist, music teacher, and supercentenarian who survived Theresienstadt concentration camp. She lived for 40 years in Israel, before emigrating to London in 1986, where she resided until her death, and at the age of 110 was the world's oldest known Holocaust survivor until Yisrael Kristal was recognized as such. Read more
23 Feb 2014: Roger Hilsman, American soldier, academic, and politician (born 1919) Roger Hilsman Jr. was an American soldier, government official, political scientist, and author. He saw action in the China-Burma-India Theater of World War II, first with Merrill's Marauders, getting wounded in combat, and then as a guerilla leader for the Office of Strategic Services. He later became an aide and adviser to President John F. Kennedy, and briefly to President Lyndon B. Johnson, in the U.S. State Department while he served as Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research in 1961 to 1963 and Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs in 1963 to 1964. Read more
23 Feb 2013: Eugene Bookhammer, American soldier and politician, 18th Lieutenant Governor of Delaware (born 1918) Eugene Donald Bookhammer was an American politician who served as the 18th Lieutenant Governor of Delaware, as a Republican, from 1969 to 1977. He served under Governors Russell W. Peterson and Sherman W. Tribbitt. Before his election as lieutenant governor, he had served in the Delaware State Senate since 1962. Read more
23 Feb 2013: Joseph Friedenson, Holocaust survivor, Holocaust historian, Yiddish writer, lecturer and editor (born 1922) Joseph Friedenson was a Holocaust survivor, Holocaust historian, Yiddish writer, lecturer, and editor of Dos Yiddishe Vort. Read more
23 Feb 2013: Julien Ries, Belgian cardinal (born 1920) Julien Ries was a Belgian religious historian, titular archbishop and cardinal of the Catholic Church. Prior to his death, Ries was described as "the greatest living religious scholar". Read more
23 Feb 2013: Lotika Sarkar, Indian lawyer and academic (born 1945) Lotika Sarkar was a noted Indian feminist, social worker, educator and lawyer, who was a pioneer in the field of women's studies and women's rights in India. She was a founding member of Centre for Women's Development Studies (CWDS), Delhi, established in 1980, and also Indian Association for Women Studies, established in 1982. Starting in 1951, she taught law at Faculty of Law, University of Delhi till 1983, and also remained the head of the law faculty; thereafter she taught at Indian Law Institute. She was the first Indian woman to graduate from Cambridge University, and later in 1951 she also became the first woman to receive a PhD degree in law from the university. Read more
23 Feb 2012: William Raggio, American lawyer and politician (born 1926) William Raggio was an American politician and a former Republican member of the Nevada Senate. He represented Washoe County's 3rd district from 1972 until his retirement in 2011. He is the longest-serving member in the history of the State Senate. Read more
23 Feb 2012: David Sayre, American physicist and mathematician (born 1924) David Sayre was an American scientist, credited with the early development of direct methods for protein crystallography and of diffraction microscopy. While working at IBM he was part of the initial team of ten programmers who created FORTRAN, and later suggested the use of electron beam lithography for the fabrication of X-ray Fresnel zone plates. Read more
23 Feb 2012: Kazimierz Żygulski, Polish sociologist and activist (born 1919) Kazimierz Żygulski was a Polish sociologist, political activist and Minister of Culture. Read more
23 Feb 2011: Nirmala Srivastava, Indian religious leader, founded Sahaja Yoga (born 1923) Nirmala Srivastava, also known as Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, was the founder and guru of Sahaja Yoga, a new religious movement. She claimed to have been born fully realised and spent her life working for peace by developing and promoting a simple technique through which people can achieve their self-realization. Read more
23 Feb 2010: Orlando Zapata, Cuban plumber and activist (born 1967) Orlando Zapata Tamayo was a Cuban political activist and a political prisoner who died after hunger striking for 85 days. His death received international attention, and was viewed as a significant setback in Cuba's relationship with the U.S. the EU and the rest of the world. Read more
23 Feb 2008: Janez Drnovšek, Slovenian economist and politician, 2nd President of Slovenia (born 1950) Janez Drnovšek was a Slovenian liberal politician, President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia (1989–1990), Prime Minister of Slovenia and President of Slovenia (2002–2007). Read more
23 Feb 2008: Paul Frère, Belgian racing driver and journalist (born 1917) Paul Frère was a racing driver and journalist from Belgium. He participated in eleven World Championship Formula One Grands Prix debuting on 22 June 1952 and achieving one podium finish with a total of eleven championship points. He drove in several non-Championship Formula One races, winning the 1952 Grand Prix des Frontières and 1960 VI South African Grand Prix. Read more
23 Feb 2007: Hanna Barysiewicz, the oldest female resident of Belarus not registered by the Guinness Book of Records (born 1888) Hanna Adamauna Barysiewicz, Belarusian: Ганна Адамаўна Барысевiч, Russian: Анна Адамовна Борисевич was the oldest female resident of Belarus not registered by the Guinness Book of Records. Until her death, she was reputedly the oldest resident in the country and, according to the media, in the world. She lived to the claimed age of 118 years and 281 days. Read more
23 Feb 2007: John Ritchie, English footballer (born 1941) John Henry Ritchie was an English footballer. He is Stoke City's all-time record goalscorer. Read more
23 Feb 2006: Muhammad Shamsul Huq, Bangladeshi academic and former Minister of Foreign Affairs (born 1912) Muhammad Shamsul Huq was a Bangladeshi politician and educator. He served as an education minister in erstwhile East Pakistan, and became the minister of foreign affairs six years after the independence of Bangladesh. Shamsul Huq also served as vice-chancellor in both the University of Dhaka and University of Rajshahi. He was awarded the Ekushey Padak in 2003 by the government of Bangladesh. Read more
23 Feb 2006: Telmo Zarra, Spanish footballer (born 1921) Pedro Telmo Zarraonandía Montoya, known as Telmo Zarra, was a Spanish football forward. He spent the majority of his career at Athletic Bilbao, from 1940 to 1955, for whom he remains the top scorer in competitive matches with 335 goals. Read more
23 Feb 2004: Vijay Anand, Indian director, producer, screenwriter, and actor (born 1934) Vijay Anand, also known as Goldie Anand, was an Indian filmmaker, producer, screenwriter, editor and actor, who is known for acclaimed films such as Guide (1965), Teesri Manzil (1966), Jewel Thief (1967) and Johny Mera Naam (1970). He made most of his films for the in-house banner Navketan Films and was part of the Anand family. Read more
23 Feb 2004: Sikander Bakht, Indian politician, Indian Minister of External Affairs (born 1918) Sikander Bakht was an Indian politician belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) who served as the 15th governor of Kerala from 2002 until his death. He was elected as the Vice President of the BJP, served as its leader in the Rajya Sabha, and as a cabinet minister in the NDA government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. In 2000, he was awarded Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian honour of the Government of India. Read more
23 Feb 2003: Howie Epstein, American bass player, songwriter, and producer (born 1955) Howard Norman Epstein was an American musician best known as a bassist with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Read more
23 Feb 2003: Robert K. Merton, American sociologist and academic (born 1910) Robert King Merton was an American sociologist who is considered a founding father of modern sociology, and a major contributor to the subfield of criminology. He served as the 47th president of the American Sociological Association. He spent most of his career teaching at Columbia University, where he attained the rank of University Professor. In 1994 he was awarded the National Medal of Science for his contributions to the field and for having founded the sociology of science. Read more
23 Feb 2000: Ofra Haza, Israeli singer-songwriter and actress (born 1957) Ofra Haza was an Israeli singer, songwriter, and actress, commonly known in the Western world as "the Madonna of the East", or "the Israeli Madonna". Her voice has been described as a "tender" mezzo-soprano. In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked her at number 186 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. Read more
23 Feb 2000: Stanley Matthews, English footballer and manager (born 1915) Sir Stanley Matthews was an English footballer who played as an outside right. Often regarded as one of the greatest players of the British game and one of the greatest players of all time, he is the only player to have been knighted while still playing football, as well as being the first winner of both the European Footballer of the Year and the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year awards. His nicknames included "The Wizard of Dribble" and "The Magician". Read more
23 Feb 1999: The Renegade, American wrestler (born 1965) Richard L. Wilson was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his tenure in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) under the ring name The Renegade, where he was a one-time WCW World Television Champion. Read more
23 Feb 1998: Philip Abbott, American actor and director (born 1924)
Philip Abbott was an American character actor. He appeared in several films and numerous television series, including a lead role as Arthur Ward in the crime series The F.B.I. Read more
23 Feb 1997: Tony Williams, American drummer, composer, and producer (born 1945) Anthony Tillmon Williams was an American jazz drummer. Williams first gained fame as a member of Miles Davis's "Second Great Quintet", and later pioneered jazz fusion with Davis's group and his own combo, The Tony Williams Lifetime. In 1970, music critic Robert Christgau described him as "probably the best drummer in the world". Williams was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame in 1997. Read more
23 Feb 1995: James Herriot, English veterinarian and author (born 1916) James Alfred Wight, better known by his pen name James Herriot, was a British veterinary surgeon and author. Read more
23 Feb 1990: José Napoleón Duarte, Salvadoran engineer and politician, President of El Salvador (born 1925) José Napoleón Duarte Fuentes was a Salvadoran politician who served as President of El Salvador from 1984 to 1989 during the Salvadoran Civil War. He was mayor of San Salvador before running for president in 1972. He lost, but the election is widely viewed as fraudulent. Following a coup d'état in 1979, Duarte led the subsequent civil-military Junta from 1980 to 1982. He was then elected president in 1984, defeating ARENA party leader Roberto D'Aubuisson. Read more
23 Feb 1983: Herbert Howells, English organist and composer (born 1892) Herbert Norman Howells was an English composer, organist, and teacher, most famous for his large output of Anglican church music. Read more
23 Feb 1979: W. A. C. Bennett, Canadian businessman and politician, 25th Premier of British Columbia (born 1900) William Andrew Cecil Bennett was a Canadian politician who served as the 25th premier of British Columbia from 1952 to 1972. With just over 20 years in office, Bennett remains the longest-serving premier in British Columbia history. He was a member of the Social Credit Party (Socreds). Read more
23 Feb 1976: L. S. Lowry, English painter (born 1887) Laurence Stephen Lowry was an English artist. His drawings and paintings mainly depict Pendlebury, Lancashire as well as Salford and its vicinity. Read more
23 Feb 1974: Harry Ruby, American composer and screenwriter (born 1895) Harry Rubenstein, known professionally as Harry Ruby, was an American pianist, composer, songwriter and screenwriter, who was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970. He was married to silent film actress Eileen Percy. Read more
23 Feb 1973: Dickinson W. Richards, American physician and physiologist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1895) Dickinson Woodruff Richards Jr. was an American physician and physiologist. He was a co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1956 with André Cournand and Werner Forssmann for the development of cardiac catheterization and the characterisation
of a number of cardiac diseases. Read more
23 Feb 1969: Madhubala, Indian actress and producer (born 1933) Madhubala was an Indian actress who worked in Hindi films. She is regarded to have been one of the greatest and finest actresses in the history of Indian cinema. One of the country's highest-paid stars in the 1950s, Madhubala appeared in over 70 films—ranging from slapstick comedies to historical dramas—in a two decade-long career. Long after her death, she remains a Bollywood icon, particularly noted for her beauty and unconventional screen persona. Media outlets often refer to her as "The Venus of Indian cinema". Read more
23 Feb 1969: Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, 2nd King of Saudi Arabia (born 1902) Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was King of Saudi Arabia from 9 November 1953 until his abdication on 2 November 1964. During his reign, he served as Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia from 1953 to 1954 and from 1960 to 1962. Prior to his accession, Saud was Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia from 11 May 1933 to 9 November 1953. He was the second son of King Abdulaziz, the founder of Saudi Arabia. Read more
23 Feb 1965: Stan Laurel, English actor and comedian (born 1890) Stan Laurel was an English actor, comedian, director and writer who was in the comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. He appeared with his comedy partner Oliver Hardy in 107 short films, feature films and cameo roles. Read more
23 Feb 1955: Paul Claudel, French poet and playwright (born 1868) Paul Claudel was a French poet, dramatist and diplomat, and the younger brother of the sculptor Camille Claudel. He was most famous for his verse dramas, which often convey his devout Catholicism. Read more
23 Feb 1948: John Robert Gregg, Irish-American publisher and educator (born 1866) John Robert Gregg was an Irish-born educator, publisher, and inventor, best known as the creator of the eponymous shorthand writing system, Gregg shorthand. Developed in the late 19th century and refined over several decades, Gregg shorthand became one of the most widely used systems of shorthand in the English-speaking world, particularly in business and educational settings during the 20th century. Read more
23 Feb 1946: Tomoyuki Yamashita, Japanese general (born 1885) Tomoyuki Yamashita was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. Yamashita led Japanese forces during the invasion of Malaya and Battle of Singapore. His conquest of Malaya and Singapore in 70 days earned him the sobriquet "The Tiger of Malaya". He was assigned to defend the Philippines from the advancing Allies later in the war. Although he was unable to prevent the superior Allied forces from advancing, despite dwindling supplies and Allied guerrilla action, he was able to hold on to part of Luzon until after the formal surrender of Japan in August 1945. Read more
23 Feb 1944: Leo Baekeland, Belgian-American chemist and engineer (born 1863) Leo Hendrik Baekeland was a Belgian chemist. Educated in Belgium and Germany, he spent most of his career in the United States. He is best known for the inventions of Velox photographic paper in 1893, and Bakelite in 1907. He has been called "The Father of the Plastics Industry" for his invention of Bakelite, an inexpensive, non-flammable and versatile plastic, which marked the beginning of the modern plastics industry. Read more
23 Feb 1934: Edward Elgar, English composer and academic (born 1857) Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet, was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos for violin and cello, and two symphonies. He also composed choral works, including The Dream of Gerontius, chamber music and songs. He was appointed Master of the King's Musick in 1924. Read more
23 Feb 1931: Nellie Melba, Australian soprano and actress (born 1861) Dame Nellie Melba was an Australian operatic lyric coloratura soprano. She became one of the most famous singers of the late Victorian era and the early twentieth century, and was the first Australian to achieve international recognition as a classical musician. She took the pseudonym "Melba" from Melbourne, her home town. Read more
23 Feb 1930: Horst Wessel, German SA officer (born 1907) Horst Ludwig Georg Erich Wessel was a member of the Sturmabteilung (SA), the paramilitary wing of the Nazi Party, who became a propaganda symbol in Nazi Germany following his murder in 1930 by two members of the Communist Party of Germany (KPD). After his death, Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels elevated him into a martyr for the Nazi Party. Read more
23 Feb 1918: Adolphus Frederick VI, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (born 1882) Adolphus Frederick VI was the last reigning Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Read more
23 Feb 1908: Friedrich von Esmarch, German surgeon and academic (born 1823) Johannes Friedrich August von Esmarch was a German surgeon. He developed the Esmarch bandage and founded the Deutscher Samariter-Verein, the predecessor of the Deutscher Samariter-Bund. Read more
23 Feb 1900: Ernest Dowson, English poet, novelist, and short story writer (born 1867) Ernest Christopher Dowson was an English poet, novelist, and short-story writer. Despite his short lifespan, he made a lasting impression on the literature of the English fin-de-siecle through his Decadent poetry. Read more
23 Feb 1897: Woldemar Bargiel, German composer and educator (born 1828) Woldemar Bargiel was a German composer and conductor of the Romantic period. Read more
23 Feb 1879: Albrecht von Roon, Prussian soldier and politician, 10th Minister President of Prussia (born 1803) Albrecht Theodor Emil Graf von Roon was a Prussian soldier and statesman. As Minister of War from 1859 to 1873, Roon, along with Otto von Bismarck and Helmuth von Moltke, was a dominating figure in Prussia's government during the key decade of the 1860s, when a series of successful wars against Denmark, Austria, and France led to German unification under Prussia's leadership. A moderate conservative and supporter of executive monarchy, he was an avid modernizer who worked to improve the efficiency of the army. Read more
23 Feb 1871: Amanda Cajander, Finnish medical reformer (born 1827) Mathilda Fredrika "Amanda" Cajander, née Nygren, was a Finnish deaconess and a pioneer within medical care in Finland. Read more
23 Feb 1859: Zygmunt Krasiński, Polish poet and playwright (born 1812) Count Napoleon Stanisław Adam Feliks Zygmunt Krasiński was a Polish poet traditionally ranked after Adam Mickiewicz and Juliusz Słowacki as one of Poland's Three Bards – the Romantic poets who influenced national consciousness in the period of Partitions of Poland. Read more
23 Feb 1855: Carl Friedrich Gauss, German mathematician, astronomer, and physicist (born 1777) Johann Carl Friedrich Gauss was a German mathematician, astronomer, geodesist, and physicist, who contributed to many fields in mathematics and science. His mathematical contributions spanned the branches of number theory, algebra, analysis, geometry, statistics, and probability. Gauss was director of the Göttingen Observatory in Germany and professor of astronomy from 1807 until his death in 1855. Read more
23 Feb 1848: John Quincy Adams, American politician, 6th President of the United States (born 1767) John Quincy Adams was the sixth president of the United States, serving from 1825 to 1829. He previously served as the eighth United States secretary of state from 1817 to 1825; minister to Great Britain, Prussia, and Russia; and senator for Massachusetts. After his presidency, Adams uniquely returned to Congress as a member of the lower house, where he died in 1848. He was the eldest son of John Adams, the second president, and First Lady Abigail Adams. Among his children were Charles Francis Adams Sr. Initially a Federalist like his father, Adams spent his presidency as a member of the Democratic-Republican Party, and later, in the mid-1830s, became affiliated with the Whig Party. Read more
23 Feb 1844: Martim Francisco Ribeiro de Andrada, Brazilian politician, twice Minister of Finance, brother of José Bonifácio and Antônio Carlos (born 1775) Martim Francisco Ribeiro de Andrada was a Brazilian politician who played a leading role in the declaration of Brazil's independence and in the government the following years. He was twice Minister of Finance. Read more
23 Feb 1821: John Keats, English poet (born 1795) John Keats was an English poet of the second generation of Romantic poets, along with Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley. His poems had been in publication for less than four years when he died of tuberculosis at the age of 25. They were indifferently received in his lifetime, but his fame grew rapidly after his death. By the end of the century, he was placed in the canon of English literature, strongly influencing many writers of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood; the Encyclopædia Britannica of 1888 described his "Ode to a Nightingale" as "one of the final masterpieces". Read more

Why is 23 February Important in World History?

Several significant political, cultural, educational, and sporting events took place on 23 February, making it an important topic for general knowledge and competitive examinations.

👉 View complete History of Today archive

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on 23 February in World history?

On 23 February, several important historical events, notable births, and major milestones occurred in World history.

Is History of Today important for competitive exams?

Yes, History of Today is frequently asked in UPSC, SSC, Banking, Railway, and State PSC exams as part of static GK and current awareness sections.